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HTC brings the One M9's software tricks to its older devices
Chances are you haven't even gotten your HTC One M9 yet, but that doesn't mean you can't get a feel for its new bits. HTC just updated its Blinkfeed app with some of the thoughtful software tricks that shipped on its brand new flagship, and gave it a new name for good measure. Say hello to HTC Sense Home.
HTC's Lollipop update won't reach every One phone on time
HTC hasn't always had success upgrading One users to the latest version of Android within its promised 90-day window, and history is unfortunately repeating itself with Android 5.0 Lollipop on the way. The phone maker is now warning that "some carrier versions" of the One M8 and M7 won't get Lollipop by the expected February 1st deadline. Reportedly, Google's rush to fix Lollipop (which emerged, shall we say, less than polished) gave HTC little time to both finish its own update and put it through the usual provider testing routine.
HTC's new charger gets your One back in action 40 percent faster
Current HTC phones like the One M8 have solid battery life, but that won't do you much good if you're already running low on energy and need a top-up as soon as possible. That's where the company's upcoming Rapid Charger 2.0 might just come in handy. The wall adapter leans on Qualcomm's Quick Charge 2.0 to fill your power pack up to 40 percent faster -- not as useful as the Droid Turbo's 15-minute partial boost, but enough to get you through a long night out. There are a few catches, though. You'll have to wait a little while to get US pricing and availability, and the compatibility is limited to a handful of 2014 devices with Quick Charge 2.0 built-in. The One M8, One E8, One Remix and Desire Eye are your only options. If you're carrying an older One or a budget phone like Desire 610, you'll be stuck with slow charging for now.
HTC's One M8 for Windows is coming to T-Mobile, too
The HTC One M8 and Windows Phone 8.1 are two great tastes that (mostly) taste great together, and you'll soon have a way to pick one up that doesn't require inking a deal with Verizon or AT&T. T-Mobile revealed earlier today that it'll offer the One M8 for Windows too, though like AT&T before it, the Uncarrier isn't quite ready to divulge those juicy pricing and availability details just yet. It may seem like Sprint subscribers may be getting the short end of the stick, but that might not be the case for much longer -- some of the new leakers on the block firmly assert that Marcelo Claure's crew will get their chance down the road too. While y'all wait for those all-important details to drop, check out our full review to see if HTC's newest Windows Phone is actually worth the wait (spoiler alert: very likely yes).
HTC One (M8) for Windows review: Same muscle, different soul
Since Windows Phone's humble beginnings, Microsoft has been the underdog in the wireless industry. Four years later, nothing's changed -- except, perhaps, a few more percentage points of market share. Even then, it's got a long way to go before catching up to Android and iOS. Let's give the company credit for pushing forward, improving its platform and not giving up, though: When I reviewed the last major OS update, I said I could finally use Windows Phone as my daily driver. The one element that Microsoft continued to lack, however, was buy-in from large phone makers. They put more focus on Android products, which meant anyone interested in Windows Phone had a small selection of devices to choose from. For Microsoft, it's time to experiment with a new, simpler approach. The software giant has buddied up with HTC to convert the One M8, its Android flagship, into a Windows Phone. That's all there is to it. There's absolutely no change to the hardware -- and it's a fantastic idea. If it fails, neither company loses much from the deal; since they're using an existing phone, the cost of design and engineering is far lower than it would be on a standalone device. If it's successful, it may inspire other manufacturers to follow suit, resulting in a market with a wide variety of Windows Phones to choose from. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?
Engadget Daily: HTC One M8 for Windows, choosing a 4K TV, and more!
Today, we go hands-on with HTC's One M8 for Windows, shop for 4K TVs, ponder an ASUS-made smartwatch, and more! Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Meet the HTC One M8's Windows Phone twin brother
The above picture isn't Photoshopped -- what you're seeing really is the HTC One M8 for Windows (Phone), and it's available today as a Verizon exclusive. Thanks to Microsoft's latest update, it's now possible for manufacturers to slap the third-place smartphone OS onto existing hardware (replacing Android), and HTC is the first mainstream phone maker to take advantage of the opportunity. Spoiler alert: The hardware of the Windows Phone-equipped One M8 is completely identical to that of the Android version launched earlier this year, aside from gratuitous Verizon and Microsoft logos. What makes this new variant so special is on the software side.
This tattooed HTC One M8 is the company's latest Limited Edition
Of the many phone makers in the world, HTC is one of the best (if not the best) at churning out Limited Edition collector's items that focus on unique design and features. The latest in a long series of such products (most of which are highlighted in the gallery below) is a collaborative effort with Singapore-based design collective Phunk Studios, in which the group made a specially designed HTC One M8 with its own unique packaging. Only 64 of them were created (32 in gold, 32 in silver), and they're being used as a sneak preview of the collective's upcoming Wonderment exhibition. As you might expect, these unique devices won't be for sale, but HTC will be providing Engadget with one of them to give away to a lucky reader. That giveaway will take place in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for it!
HTC lets One M8 users share their camera tricks with the rest of the world
Thanks to its depth-sensing Duo Camera setup, the HTC One (M8) and the new J Butterfly let you take picture post-production way beyond adding a simple sepia filter. There's only so long you can expect friends to huddle round while you play with the advanced editing features, though, but with the new version of HTC's Gallery app, you can let them get creative too. By sharing your Duo Camera photos to the web from the updated app, others can toy with the depth of field and bokeh, add effects and filters to parts of the image, and manipulate picture point-of-view from within a browser window. The Duo Camera is doing the hard work of capturing the scene, after all, so HTC's simply ported the fancy editing features to the web for those without access to their latest and greatest phone to enjoy, which is pretty cool by anyone's standards.
HTC's next Windows Phone is coming to Verizon with an awkward name
More than a few eyebrows were raised when talk surfaced of an HTC One for Windows Phone. How close would it be to the Android original? Would it bring anything new to the table? And what's the name, for that matter? Thankfully, sources for Engadget are happy to answer a few questions. For a start, they tell us that the device (not shown here) is tentatively called the "One (M8) for Windows." Yeah, that's not exactly going to roll off the tongue -- the device's codename, W8, is considerably more elegant.
IRL: Taking HTC's One M8 for a test drive
The original HTC One was one of my favorite smartphones from 2013, but it was easy to see why you'd pass it up in favor of an archrival like Samsung's Galaxy S4 -- it just didn't have the battery life, camera quality or expansion to keep up. Fast-forward to 2014 and it's a different story. Most of those headache-inducing flaws have been fixed in the new One; indeed, my colleague Brad Molen suggested it was an all-around better device. But is that enough to avoid a twinge of buyer's remorse, especially with the Galaxy S5 and Sony's Xperia Z2 upping the ante? I spent a few weeks with the new One to find out whether I'd still be pining for features from those other devices.
Here's what our readers are saying about the new HTC One
The HTC One (M8) has been a hit with critics: Our own Brad Molen calls it "a great smartphone that does a lot of fantastic things," while Laptop Magazine goes so far as to say it's "the best Android phone on the market." But now that the M8 has hit all four major carriers in the US and has had a chance to stretch its legs out in the wild, how has it fared in long-term, day-to-day usage? To find out, we turn to user reviews, written by erudite Engadget readers like yourself, and they certainly haven't held anything back.
HTC's One M8 Ace squeezes high-end specs into a prettier, cheaper body
HTC's One M8 isn't even two months old yet and it's already sparked a few spin-offs. We're not just talking about the One mini 2, either: a render of the oft-rumored One M8 Ace started making the rounds on Chinese tech blogs earlier today, and we've been able to confirm the image in fact depicts the real deal. Haven't been keeping tabs on the M8's myriad spawn? Well, the Ace (which could bear the Style or Fashion Edition moniker in China) seeks to cram top-tier performance into a more attractive, more affordable package.
Here's how to to get that Harman Kardon sound on your new HTC One
The recent introduction of a special edition One M8 by Sprint, which features some sound-enhancing software from Harman Kardon, had a few owners of HTC's flagship feeling slightly neglected. Thankfully, nursed by the beauty of Android's open ecosystem, the great minds over at XDA Developers have figured out a way to get the Clari-fi sound feature up and running in just about any US model of the new HTC One. Not surprisingly, you'll need to root your M8 in order to make this happen -- as always, do this only if you feel comfortable with a bit of unsupported tinkering.
Here's what the new HTC One might have looked like
The new HTC One may seem like a logical evolution of the original design, but that wasn't guaranteed -- just the opposite, according to company Creative Director Daniel Hundt. He tells Stuff in an interview that the original guideline was to "start with a chunk of metal" and go from there. As proof, the designer has early design sketches of the many concepts CEO Peter Chou told us about earlier, showing everything from a near-flat One body to a super-curvy front and back. Hardware should look like it's the "natural result" of its material, Hundt says, and shouldn't be guided primarily by specs like the battery size.
HTC One (M8) review: a great phone, even if no longer a game-changer
The HTC One was one of our favorite smartphones of 2013. It featured a gorgeous industrial design, a fantastic display, great camera and top-of-the-line performance. HTC poured its heart into it, as evidenced by nearly every aspect of the device. The phone exceeded nearly all of our expectations, but that also left a big problem: We now expect history to repeat itself. After all, if the original One was such a great device, its successor should, in theory, be even better, right? Of course it should be. But does this year's version of the One have what it takes? On paper, the answer is yes: It has a larger screen, offers two curious-looking rear camera sensors, boasts an improved version of HTC's Sense UI and features a chassis with even more metal. It appears, then, that there's a lot to love here, but it's difficult to take our breath away twice in a row. Here's what impressed -- and what didn't.
